Messiah
by Sakura Blackwolf
Summary: AU- Gyuumao was revived, however the Sanzo-ikkou did not succeed in defeating him and were imprisoned in different areas of Togenkyou. Hope runs dry for the civilization, but there's rumor running around that one of the Sanzo-ikkou has escaped...
1. I hear the wings of death

To quote that pianist from Dextor's Laboratory, "Here comes inspiration!" I swear, and I was hoping my ideas had been soothed.  
  
Disclaimer: Saiyuki belongs to Minekura Kazuya. Yes, if it weren't for her, we'd still be stuck with the original "Journey to the West" where Hakkai was a pig. Yes, a pig. All of them were wimps except for Goku, who was an actual monkey.  
  
  
Messiah  
  
by Doc(Sakura Blackwolf)  
  
  
'That day the world collasped leaving only me. The sky I looked up at was heavy and all of its color had been silenced. I still don't know what happened to the sun that should've been shining there.' -- Stigma, Minekura Kazuya  
  
  
The sky was dim with gray clouds. It was a usual sort of sky these days. It was a rare occasion to see the blue colors but even rarer and near impossible to see the beaming sun in all its glory.   
  
One year ago it felt like the world ended when it didn't. Through all the past twelve months that had gone by as slow as a snail, it had been hell. They were settling in hell it seemed. No longer was there an earth, a heaven to race toward. Just hell, sheol, jahannam, whatever one wished to call it. People were no longer believing there was anything left for them. The world was dry with optimism, full of pessimism, and lacking life in general. It was usual to walk in the streets and find somebody on the pavement dead or the sidewalk completely deserted.  
  
One year ago, Gyuumao had been revived. One year ago, four men had arrived in Tenjiku to face Gyokumen-koushu and her step-son, Kougaiji as well as cease the awakening of Gyuumao and retrieve back the maten kyomen that had been taken from them. They failed in stopping the youkai king from waking up. The youkai who refused to live with humans fought with these four men.  
  
Those men lost the fight.  
  
Instead of killing them however, he sealed them in four different places throughout Togenkyou. And with the Minus Wave still wafting through the air, the human population was severely reduced. Youkai ruled both the air they breathed and the ground they walked upon, running through the civilization with the urge to kill. Humans tried to rebel against the supernatural beings. The population was lowered even more. Hope runs dry in Togenkyou and the mere thought of a miracle was frivolous. But to this day, there is a rumor running through the last remaining humans that one of the men who fought Gyuumao mangaged to escape imprisonment. So they prayed and they prayed that he would come and saved them all. They called him the Messiah.  
  
Their expected savior had not shown himself since the battle.  
  
  
The areas of Chou An were empty and silent. They have been for so long. Without a sound, the monk with the brilliant golden hair stepped to the area that kept his room. Chou An was hauntingly similar to that of Kinzan Temple. Quiet, in ruins, and reeking of death. A majority of the place was destroyed when the youkai invaded the area. He never bothered to clean up the place, except for the blood spilled that had once streaked every corner seen and stained it permantly. Genjo Sanzo had been in a deep coma for nearly a year. He had mangaged to escape from his prison for reasons he could not recall and remembered that he went back to Chou An in some way he could not bring to mind. The only place he could go back to and the only place he would acknowledge as home was here. He remembered the temple monks fussing over him and his bleeding injuries as well as the fact his sutra was missing from his firm shoulders before he had blacked out and stayed that way for nine months.   
  
He woke up to death.  
  
When the darkness had faded away, Sanzo had found himself in a secret compartment he wouldn't even bother looking for. When he opened the sealed off space to the world, he found the stench of rotting flesh was there to greet him. Various robed and tattered bodies on the floors, against the walls, hanging from the ceiling and blood... So much blood already dried like it had been splattered there forever. He had seen bulidings already torn down, broken pillars, and the Temple of the Setting Sun in a pile of burned ashes. Somehow his room mangaged to get out of the destruction. In return though, he found decaying bodies piled up at the door.  
  
He didn't remember too much of the battle with Gyuumao. He remembered a lot of blood though. Blood always seemed to follow him, even through the gentle patting of raindrops. He remembered hearing screams, feeling the ground give out beneath him as he would fall to the dirt. And he wasn't able to retrieve his sutra. One of his wrists were broken before that could happen. Then he lost his gun and the other carpal was crushed. Blood sprayed on his face. Not all of it was his though. The high-ranking monk was surprised even Seiten Taisen Son Goku could not bring Gyuumao down. The one who nearly killed them all was taken down too. Sanzo remembered seeing how, but could only conjure up a blurring scene. The priest stepped into his room, whipping out the last fresh cigarette in his pack. He had to remember to try to grab another pack sometime later.  
  
He knew Gyokumen-koushu was still alive with Kougaiji. She however, had gotten rid of Lirin, Dokugakuji, and Yaone permantly before his eyes. Not all the blood that had painted his face was his. Well, it's not like he thought he and the rest of the ikkou were invincible. They were, in a way, only human. He didn't like being beaten though. Didn't work well on his pride. And the priest didn't know where Goku, Hakkai, or Gojyo were. He could only recall blurs and lights and Chou An. Sanzo was sure they weren't killed, so where? He had no way of transporation except for on foot, unless he happened to come across Hakuryuu.  
  
Sanzo slammed a fist against one of the walls surrounding him. He felt helpless, something he absolutely hated feeling. He couldn't remember too much of the battle, nor even get the slightest hint of where the other three were. But he was Genjo Sanzo. He could find them, if he wanted to. He had been able to get around places on foot, so he didn't necessarily need Hakuryuu. But that dragon would make travel faster and he wouldn't be walking aimlessly in one direction. But would he want to go out to "save the world" again? He had been thinking about it for a long, long time and realized he was tired. The blonde didn't really want another journey. Those three could be anywhere in the large civilization of Togenkyou, or they could be dead already. Or they could've rotted off the face of the earth.   
  
His neglected cigarette lay crushed in his fist, unlighted. Sanzo looked at it for a moment before tossing it in a waste bin. He could not be the Messiah people wanted him to be. Looking at the hollow container that once held fresh, long sticks full of various chemicals, the priest tossed it in the bin too.  
  
He had to go out to restock on cigarettes.   
  
  
TBC  
  
I know it's short. This story will probably have a shorter length than what I'm normally putting in. And don't worry, Sanzo will do something soon ^_^. 


	2. Blood red sunset: Ruby Sky

Oh, but Sanzo doesn't have to do anything*grin*. I'm kidding ^^;;. And pardon me if I got Gyuu's weapon incorrectly. Its been a while since I watched my dvds. And Sanzo has boots now, according to Saiyuki RELOAD. So don't mark me down on that XP.  
  
This chapter is Angel Sanctuary-influenced.  
  
  
Messiah  
  
by Doc(Sakura Blackwolf)  
  
[Blood-red sunset; Ruby Sky]  
  
'I associate love with red, the color of my heart when she's dead. Red in my mind when the jealousy flies. Red in my eyes from emotional ties. Mainpulation- the danger signs.' -- Symphony in Blue, Kate Bush  
  
He had seen red everywhere in his life. From the scarlet sunset to this very day. And he had never seen so much until the battle with Gyuumao. Death loomed like a shadow over Tenjiku. He remembered hitting a bundle of rocks, cutting open small wounds on his back and shoulders. The demon ox king faced him, gigantic sword raised in the air. Goku's leg was sliced badly and Hakkai was trying to heal the wound. The picture blurred from white to black repeatedly. White. Black. White. Black. Light. Dark. He heard three voices ring throughout his head.  
  
"Sanzo-!"  
  
His head was pounding when he realized the blade was set toward him. He swore under his breath and tried to move to the side. He was sure at that speed, the blade would've at least put a cut into his shoulder on down, but instead of the sound of flesh ripping, the ring of metal against metal graced his hearing. Sanzo peered over his white-clad shoulder from where he dodged the blow that would've occured and saw Gojyo had blocked the attack. From the way the weapon was bending though, it didn't seem like the redhead would be able to at least nudge him away. Ruby eyes turned toward him and narrowed in a glare.  
  
"What are you doing?! Get out of here!"  
  
They all knew if Sanzo got hold of the Maten Kyomen then Gyuumao would be momentarily paralyzed by the sutra. That is, if he was able to chant the whole thing without getting killed first. The high-ranking priest caused the giant youkai a bigger threat than Seiten Taisen Son Goku would ever. Gyuumao knew that if his body was stopped, then these people could kill him for good.  
  
So naturally he was aiming for the priest.  
  
  
Sanzo shook his head clear of that surfacing memory. The youkai had succeeded in making sure he would not be able to retrieve his sutra. much to his dismay. He looked up to the ruby sky as he walked pass the damaged trees. To him, failing was not an option. He failed to protect Koumyou Sanzo, so he stopped protecting. He failed in getting back the Seiten Kyomen, so he stopped looking.   
  
He was the only one in Togenkyou with the name 'Sanzo' now. Before there were four protectors of the sutras. Three died, and he survived. Sometimes he wondered how he mangaged to live. After every single incident he had gone through, how? Why?  
  
The town was up ahead. He could tell even when the lights weren't on. Nobody left their lights on anymore. They were all too scared a youkai would know they were home and burst inside and kill them. A year ago, he would've said it was silly and paranoid. Nowadays, these things happen from time to time. A year ago, these people would've been laughed at for being so jumpy. But no one's laughing anymore.  
  
The rustle of dry grass underneath his boots clicked through his ears. The rest was silence, except for the occasional bird who would pass overhead. The ruby sky faded to black. He had to keep going before it got too dark to see and too cold to move.  
  
  
The blonde stuffed the new cigarette pack into his sleeve pocket and walked out into the sidewalk once more. The cement was stained with dry blood, rubbed into the pathway from traveling feet. Adjusting his robe, his heels clicked against the pavement lightly. The walkway was abandoned..or so he thought. From the alley ahead he saw a woman, who looked as if she were pregnant, on the cement. The scarlet that flowed from her body had spread out into the middle of the road. It was obvious she was dead from the blank shock in her light green eyes and the scream that died at the tip of her tongue. But Sanzo heard it loud and clear in his mind.  
  
The sun..  
  
yes, the sun..  
  
the-...  
  
the sun..-  
  
sun..su-.  
  
The sun...is not here...  
  
Where is it?  
  
The two youkai then came out of the alleyway, each holding a knife that was stained in blood. And immediately the priest knew they were running around, killing anyone on the streets. Sanzo frowned deeply when they turned and smirked at him. "What have we got here? A hot-looking monk?" He didn't respond.  
  
"What's the matter? Shy, baby?" They laughed loudly which made the blonde even more irritated. It stopped and choked the minute a gloved fist slammed into one of the youkai's gut. The demon took a sharp breath of air, before he backed away a few careful steps and fell to his knees, trying to control the amount of air he was taking in. The other youkai growled at Sanzo and swung a punch at his head. The priest ducked and smashed an elbow into the other's chin, sending the youkai reeling and flat on his back. The youkai held onto his bleeding chin as he helped his companion to his feet as well as himself, looking cautiously at the monk when realization struck through his head.  
  
"Y-you..! You're that guy- the one the humans have been babbling about, aren't you!?" One eyebrow raised in question but before he got an answer, more youkai came out of their hideout to surround him in a tight circle.  
  
"We've heard about you, Messiah. We won't let you take Gyuumao down!" Gyuu's youkai? No, all youkai were servants of Gyuumao. Sanzo reached into his sleeve to light another cigarette.  
  
"Hey! Listen you-!" The lighter clicked as the small flame popped out to burn the drug the blonde held between his teeth.  
  
"Ch'. What a bunch of morons."  
  
"Why you-!" A youkai stepped out of the circle to attack the priest with a knife. Sanzo stepped back and held a foot out, tripping the man. Angry growls wafted through his ears. A flash of light at his side. He dodged the dagger coming at his side and kneed the youkai in the stomach, before catching the blade that fell from the youkai's grasp by the handle. He turned around to block another's fist and slash at the wrist, then knocked him away. One mangaged to trip him, and his head spun from harsh impact. Kicking out to one of the youkai's ankles, he slammed his boot's heel into the flesh, causing a scream to echo through the area. But he was still on the ground. Before a horde of hands could grab him, he rolled on his side, stabbing in a youkai's foot with the knife he held onto for dear life. Taking advantage of the man's sudden shock of pain, he scrambled to his feet and knocked him aside to make a run for it. Fingers grazed his robes, trying to grab on and pull him back. No. No. He had to run. Run. Run. Run...!  
  
Sometimes he wished he still had his gun.  
  
Boots slapped against the cement as Sanzo dashed for a place to hide. A bundle of footsteps behind him. Sure, he could fight them fist to fist, but he'd rather not risk it. One, because they were armed with god knows what. Two, if he attacked one another would react the half-second later, which wouldn't be a problem if there weren't so many youkai behind him. Run. Run. Run. You can outrun a god, so surely you can outrun them.  
  
Surely...  
  
  
A beam of light was what made Sanzo and the youkai group behind him stop. He watched with violet eyes as a familar flicker of light descended down to the miserable civilization of Togenkyou. A woman, more correctly, a hermaprodite with the transparent shirt and lily-white dress. Bangles and hoops of gold that clung to her skin, seeming to weight more than the woman herself. That familar long black hair, the all-knowing blue eyes, and that smirk that seemed a little thin nowadays. Kanzeon Bosatsu waved her hand as she stood in front of the blonde.  
  
When Gyuumao was free to roam the world, he first attacked Tenkai, the place where the war god, Nataku, slept. He crushed bulidings, leveled palaces, and slaughtered all in Tenkai, even the seemingly lifeless killing puppet. He missed a god though. Kanzeon's eyes flickered back to the youkai who were staring at her owlishly. She bid them no further attention as the woman's arms were set akimbo when she looked at Sanzo. "Ne, boy? Where are you going? Shouldn't you be searching for the rest of your motley group?"  
  
One eyebrow raised in question. "Why should I?"  
  
She smirked, shaking her head as if she expected that sort of answer, "Genjo Sanzo, your mission is not over. It was to stop Gyuumao from doing what he's did. You're still tacked to this assignment."  
  
"I refuse. Get someone else." His reaction did not suprise her the least bit.  
  
"The world needs this. While it may seem frivolous one man can change the way the future, isn't it about time some light spread upon Togenkyou?"  
  
Sanzo's eyebrows narrowed. "I don't know where to go." That was a lie. Almost, he could hear a voice calling him from a certain direction. Almost.  
  
"Gyuumao intended to imprison you and the rest of the Sanzo-ikkou in the directions north, south, east, and west. Genjo Sanzo, on behalf of the fallen Tenkai, I request that you continue your journey." She leaned in closer, her smile getting wider. "After all, the world needs their Messiah." A lazy wink. The blonde waded in silence, before pushing past the god. Kanzeon chuckled and turned around. "Oi. I think you'll be needing this."  
  
Sanzo shifted and on reflex caught the Smith&Wesson revolver that was thrown to him. He shifted once more and walked away. The bodhisatva smiled before turning around once more. A knife drove itself through her chest. Strangely calm blue eyes stared at the youkai who dared to kill the last remaining heaven dweller. The man's hands twitched as he let go, sweat dripping down his face.   
  
Lips that were painted with lipstick quivered as the blood fell to the pavement. A wry smirk crossed the woman's face as the world seemed to spin. It was so strange. Was this death..Konzen? Was this how you felt?   
  
Blood. Blood. Blood. Dark. Dark. Dark. Cold.  
  
Her midnight hair trembled in waves as she collapsed. So moist along her chest. And sticky. The stench of blood which she was so familar with these days entered her nostrils. How long had she been alive? Very long. Too long. Seemed like forever. The ruby sky blurred and swirled. The world was disappearing..until there was only black.  
  
  
Sanzo did not want to look back. Not to more death. The stink of decay wafted overhead and somehow he knew there were no more gods left in the world.   
  
Voices. Yes, voices...A woman's voice. Kanzeon's.  
  
[I hate things that don't change. They bore me. Isn't that what you once said?]  
  
[You're such a kid...]  
  
[Isn't that right..Konzen?]  
  
[Can you be the sun for that little child?]  
  
  
Michael of the north wind, Raphael of the south, Gabriel of west, and Uriel of east. Genjo Sanzo headed north. He was going to find Sha Gojyo.  
  
Making sure to stop by Chou An for things like fresh bullet shells and necessary supplies, the heels of his boots made contact with the dry earth as he headed from the east to the north. He had a slight suspicious of where the kappa may be. Once, he had heard of a place called the Water Garden from Koumyou. It was a place that was to originally be in the west, but was shifted to the north for reasons unknown. Koumyou told him that the garden was filled with blue and white flowers. Rivers ran through the area from a waterfall that got water from sources not known. The brunette Sanzo commented on how he wished to see it once in his life. He never got to. Besides, the Water Garden was only a rumor. There was no proof it was real.  
  
I'm here...  
  
Where are you?  
  
Where?  
  
Are you...coming?  
  
That voice...so familar. It was not Gojyo though. It came..from the west.  
  
  
  
When it rains, it means something awful has happened. That's what he overheard Hakkai say once to the kappa when the redhead asked him why he hated rain. When it stopped raining, that's when heaven would watch their children once again. In rain, they abandoned them to death. To Lucifer, the so-called Lord of Hell. It seemed to rain a lot. Awful things happen all the time.  
  
Sanzo laid back against an old but very soft couch. Along the way he came across a small inn, cleverly hidden from sight with the way it was bulit and painted. Earlier in the day, the youkai from before had found him again. This time with his gun he was able to send them to kingdom come. Rubbing the bandage that wrapped along his right forearm from long, painful claw marks and the one taped to a low point on his cheek, the priest sighed as he let the nicotine in the cigarette balanced on his lips drift into his system. He could remove them tomorrow. He later discovered that people rarely came to this inn and if they did, they usually hid in a place underneath the buliding.  
  
He was tired. He needed to go to bed. Long trip tomorrow.  
  
He was not exactly sure where the Water Garden was placed in the north, whether it be northwest or northeast. He recalled Koumyou once saying it was directly north, where the land got colder and the wind rougher. And if the secret garden wasn't there, tough break.  
  
  
Indeed the further he traveled the colder it got. The rougher the wind. The harder to stand on two feet without one suddenly lifting in the air. All the wind was making his ears cold and his head hurt. Not many youkai resided in the north(especially in the direct path he was going), for that reason alone. Most of them were either in the west to be near Gyuumao or in the south. Exortion gun gripped tightly in his left hand, finger grazing the trigger, Sanzo did his best to avoid the powerful wind that wanted him to stay away.   
  
Go away.   
  
He did not run back.  
  
It started raining. One more life for Lucifer.  
  
  
For a moment, Sanzo thought he was going to go flying back from the strong gust of Archangel Michael.  
  
Until the wind suddenly stopped.  
  
  
Looking up quickly, Sanzo spotted a light blue barrier situated between the emerald trees. Out of breath, he tried to get there as quickly as he could. Hurry. Hurry. Reaching a gloved hand into the soft blue glow, he fell inside and landed in a river of water. The Water Garden.  
  
Pushing himself out of the ice-cold liquid, he groaned to himself as he imagined the north wind turning him into a ice statue the minute he went south. Rubbing his knuckles warm, he slowly waded through the field pf plants. Koumyou Sanzo was right. Small rivers of blue ran to the edge and disappeared from existence. A large waterfall poured on and on into the small pool below it. The flowers grown were a beautiful ice blue and deep sapphire, as well as a few growths of pure white. Softly, he walked through sky-painted petals. The swirls of water and shades of blue and white made him feel strangely at peace. Was this for real?  
  
  
The corner of his eye caught another color. It was a brilliant contrast to the rest of his surroundings. A blood red.  
  
Sanzo came closer. Gojyo. It was Gojyo...It had to be. Through the ice blue colors glistening with dew, he nearly ran until he stopped at a secluded pool of freezing water. Beautiful sky-blue vines snaked up the wall of the barrier it was against, blossoming lovely white flowers that hung like bells. The blonde's gaze fell from the flowers, trailing the vines down to where he spotted another figure, sitting in the shallow pool of cold water in bloodied clothes that were still torn and tattered. The crystal growth tied the person, who he confirmed to be the one he was searching for first, to the grass underneath that was surprisingly white instead of green like outside the watery dome. Scarlet locks of hair fell over the man's tanned skin, closing off his face from the world. He didn't age or change at all since the last time Sanzo saw him. Was the taboo character's body preserved when he was sealed? Then again, if he wasn't he probably would be dead from the cold before his wounds could've killed him. Speaking of wounds, there didn't seem to be any on him. This made an golden eyebrow raise in question before he shrugged it off and stepped closer. With the barrel of his gun pointing at the long blue vines, he fired a few bullets, tearing into the plant and forcing it to drop to the ground.   
  
Gloved hands pushed away the remaining vines into the water where they drifted to the edge of the small pool that was as shallow as a big puddle. He lifted the sealed man's head. A porcleain mask on the redhead's face. He tore it off. Nothing seemed to happen. A few silent and tense moments later, ruby red eyes fluttered open. The color of the sunset he was banned from seeing a year ago.  
  
"My ass feels numb. What the fuck did you do, bouzu?" he mumbled sleepily.  
  
Definitely Gojyo alright.  
  
"I hear the wings of death."   
A world without color  
Not women's lips-  
Not flowers-  
Only blood is red  
Vivid red  
-- Stigma, Minekura Kazuya  
  
TBC  
  
Sorry if there's grammar errors in this chapter. I have to do a shitload of homework after I finish the chapter so I tried to be very careful while also becoming a nervous wreck ~_~;;. And yes, I am incredibly inspired by the words in Minekura's "Stigma". 


	3. Jade green tide: Emerald Sea

Writer's block sucks.  
  
Messiah  
  
by Doc(Sakura Blackwolf)  
  
[Jade-green tide; Emerald Sea]  
  
I had seven faces  
Thought I knew which one to wear  
- "NYC", Interpol  
  
Gojyo had been thrown aside in that long battle with Gyuumao. His shaku-jou bent and basically not of any use. Sanzo was left alone since Goku was in the way of the redhead's flight and Hakkai was looking over the two, for a possibility of broken bones.   
  
The maten kyomen..is right there! If he could just get around the gigantic youkai then maybe..just maybe. The familar grip of the Smith&Wesson curled into his hand. He was amidexterous after all, but his left hand was currently broken so he was forced to use his right. Hakkai wasn't able to get around to him to heal it yet. Gyuumao looked down on him like he was a pestering fly and decided to make the first move, confident he could annihilate the human in this one shot. Sanzo pushed himself away in time before the blade slammed into the piece of earth on his left. Gun poised at the youkai, his trigger finger pulled back and sent a bullet speeding. Gyuumao grunted in pain but waved a careless hand at it for the nth time that day. It was nice to know his bullets had -some- effect though. Sanzo was just about to fire again when a glow of light caught his violet gaze. Gyuumao's left palm rose to the ash-colored sky and shot an orb of his own contained energy. And he was so surprised Gyuumao had this techninque that he himself forgot to get out, that damn reaction of his...   
  
Reality came to when the blow didn't come and devour his flesh. Opening his eyes to the fading light, he squinted to see what prevented the attack from consuming him. Sanzo spotted someone in front of him surrounded by tiny glows of light that were slowly dying away, like tiny fireflies in the air. Brown hair, green clothes, a bloody mess..Hakkai.  
  
Blood lifted from the brunette's chest as the arms that outstretched to shield the priest started loosening shakily. His knees dropped weak as he fell in what seemed like slow-motion, trapped almost forever in the pain of it all. A bloody hand that lifted to the sky..but never quite reached it to touch the disappearing sun. Sanzo's eyes dilated as Hakkai fell on his stomach, blood soaking into the dry dirt underneath.  
  
Mmhm, a sun...  
  
Such a pretty sun.  
  
Let me hold its light in my arms  
  
Yet it is but an illusion, as looking toward heaven is answered with the greyest clouds.  
  
I can almost see the sun.  
  
It painted the sky, red.  
  
Sanzo scoffed as Gojyo's awareness slowly settled in, crossing his arms over his chest in an attempt to keep himself warm. It was terribly freezing inside this weird, blue dome.  
  
"Hey, where is this place?"  
  
"You tell me." Actually, he knew. The Water Garden in the north. All these flowers, protected by that blue shield that reflected the violent wind patterns back. But he wasn't in a good enough mood to explain everything. Plus, his robe was soaked. That already, in itself, made him unhappy.  
  
He watched the taller man get to his knees and shakily lift himself up. Months of constantly sitting down must've made his joints sore. In fact, the redhead actually stumbled back into the wall, grasping wildly at the wall that once bound him.  
  
"Aren't you clumsy today?" Sanzo absently said, waiting impatiently for Gojyo to finally balance himself.  
  
"Shut the fuck up, bouzu. You'd be like this too if you were on your ass for...uh." The blonde rolled his eyes, realizing the half-youkai could not finish that retort on his lack of a calendar.  
  
"A year?"  
  
"..It's been a year?"  
  
"Yes, it has," Sanzo sighed heavily. Being sealed had its disadvantages he guessed.  
  
"Oh, no wonder you look more wrinkly than the last time I saw you," Gojyo muttered.  
  
Whack!  
  
"My fucking god- you still have that stupid fan?!" The priest scoffed disdainfully as the half-youkai nursed the throbbing bump on his head.  
  
"Look, if you want to stay- fine. I don't care." Sanzo muttered as he turned around to come back out the way he came. The redhead blinked once, then twice, before pulling himself after the priest.  
  
"Why are you here anyway? I didn't know you cared." Violet eyes narrowed at the sarcasm of that last sentence and a heavy sigh escaped the monk. The North Winds exhausted him during his travels and had made him particularly irritable.  
  
"So you, and the other two idiots, would stop calling me." 'And because this damned mission isn't over.'  
  
"Pff. I wasn't calling you, bouzu," Gojyo commented. Those words struck chords in the half-youkai's heart.   
  
-yes i did call you because i wanted to be free and i knew you were still awake so now that you're here i'm a little relieved but i still don't like you-  
  
He shook his head, earning a questioning look from the blonde. Sanzo scoffed, letting his gaze wander all around. His violet eyes took in all the blues that painted the flowers and the whites that seemed to make it glow. It was ethereal to say the least. Part of him just wanted to stay forever. The other part questioned on how anything can be this lovely without any faults. Something had to be out of place. Suddenly, his eyes were pinned to the side. Gojyo set his arms akimbo as Sanzo suddenly twisted to the right.  
  
"What now, bouzu?"  
  
Sanzo simply ignored him as his gloved hand pushed aside some blue and white leaves. He expected to see some stupid youkai waiting to eat him or something, but was instead given something different. Indeed a youkai was underneath, but dead and decaying. The bushes's roots were stemming off the youkai's flesh. At least half of the body was already gone, but the mouth was still open in a silent scream, veins falling out of it. Eyes wide open, if not for the roots that sprouted from its eyeballs. Hands already sinking into the dirt and chest carrying a heart that long since expired. Flowers were blooming out of the youkai's lips. Sanzo wanted to gag.  
  
"What is it?" he heard Gojyo ask, but he did not respond. Now he understood why no one came here. So many people, whether it be human or youkai, to be unforunate enough to stumble in. To be trapped inside, to become one with the garden. A garden made of flesh. A garden full of blood.  
  
He knew its beauty was deceiving.  
  
Then did that mean there was no way out? People would eventually die and become the plants itself. And there was no way he was going to settle for being a plant.  
  
Tightening his mouth, he lifted his revolver and fired at the blue barrier, fingers twitching when the bullet bounced back into a nearby stalk of flowers.  
  
"What are you doing? Can't you just go through like any 'normal' person?" Gojyo rolled his eyes and pressed a hand to the shield. He pressed until his knuckles paled white. The shield would not collapse. Sanzo shook his head as he watched the redhead futily attempt to escape. Finally, the taller one slumped down to the grass.  
  
"Okay, the next step is resorting to violence offered by the ever-so-elegant Genjo Sanzo." The blonde scoffed at that sarcasm and fired again. He must've fired at least three times, and those three times never worked. Was it really hopeless? There was no way his journey ended here. The first step to becoming part of the Water Garden was giving up, no matter how cliché it sounded to Sanzo. Everyone who came in here must've let themselves go. Those people were the plants that decorated the Garden. But surely there must be something that can open the shield. Something.   
  
A glint of steel caught his eye. And fired the last of his bullets to the left.  
  
Gojyo blinked as something heavy fell to the floor in front of him. Tangled within icy blue vines and concealed by dainty white petals was something made of steel. Moving a hand to brush away at the growth, his eyes widened at what lay waiting for him.  
  
Sanzo watched the redhead lift the shaku-jou as empty bullet shells littered the ground beneath his feet.  
  
A scar was created within the barrier, sliced by a crescent-shaped blade. Another tore into the first, and another and another. Gojyo withdrew the blade on his weapon as he looked at the sky, "It's so...grey."  
  
"Aa. It is."  
  
"I was hoping to emerge to some bright, shiny atmosphere."  
  
"You're cocky, aren't you?" Gojyo smirked at the blonde.  
  
"Must be."  
  
"The only time it changes is when its twilight, and then it turns red. But nothing else really happens."  
  
"Boring."  
  
"No. Just a mess."  
  
They stepped out of the folds of blue, but when Sanzo's foot touched the other side he heard something.  
  
-he's coming i'm scared because i can't do anything while i'm trapped like this   
i'm here   
i'm waiting   
so much darkness where is the sun?-  
  
For some reason, the monk's head turned to the west.  
  
"So, who do we "heroicly" save next?" Gojyo asked as he leaned against the railing of a balcony. The hotel they were staying was run by humans who had cleverly concealed the buliding by growing trees around it. Still, a youkai was bound to find it, but until then it housed a handful of humans who had lost their homes to the Minus Wave's effects.  
  
"Hakkai. He'll probably have Hakuryuu with him too, so that'll be good transportation-wise. I doubt I could go on a journey with -only- you," Sanzo glared at Gojyo who just smirked.  
  
"I see, I see. Where's Gyuumao anyway?"  
  
"In the west. Apparently, he's quite taken with Houtou Castle."  
  
"What about the concubine and Kougaiji?"  
  
"Still there."  
  
Gojyo sighed and raked a hand through his hair. Out of habit, a hand went to the pocket which kept his cigarettes. Much to his dismay, he found them all wet. Sanzo shook his head as the redhead went through shock. Crimson eyes turned towards him and Sanzo understood as he, this time, smirked.  
  
"I thought you didn't like my brand."  
  
"Well, I don't. But I'm desperate."  
  
The monk handed over a fresh cigarette, which the other took gratefully. Lighting it, while also being thankful the flint didn't get wet either, Gojyo asked, "So, where is Hakkai anyway?"  
  
"In the South. A lot of youkai live there, but not nearly as much as in theWest."  
  
"And..."  
  
"We leave tomorrow," The blonde turned and left to his separate bedroom. Gojyo smirked and shook his head.  
  
"Whatever you say."  
  
They left many dead bodies behind them that day and the next few days. Bullet after bullet, swipe after swipe. Blood trailed behind them wherever they went.  
  
"You know what puzzles me? It's that you've killed a lot of youkai, yet you never fell to that thousand-youkai curse." Sanzo smirked.  
  
"Why do you think I use a gun? So to not get close to the blood spray, and even if it did come at me I could avoid it."  
  
"Heh. Whatever you say, bouzu. So, Hakkai's here?" Two pairs of eyes observed the large tree before them. Its bark was a dark, rusty brown. Its leaves were of a green and yellow mix. Ten lime-colored orbs hung from its branches, glowing a faint gold and held steady by thick vines.  
  
"Aa. Sefirot, the tree of life." Gojyo looked at the monk.  
  
"You really believe that shit?"  
  
"Ch', are you kidding me? Of course not. People call it this, because they like to believe man was created by a great and high power. But there's no logic way of proving anything about anything anymore." Sanzo calmly approached the tall tree, grabbing hold of the twisted bark to pull himself up. Gojyo blinked,"Hey, wait up!"  
  
They looked through very orb on the tree. They sliced them all open to reveal nothing but a yellow core. Of course, things weren't always that easy. Their search of the tree wasn't that easy. Sometimes, Gojyo had to go down to fight of any youkai coming after them. And that was only when Sanzo had to reload from their current perch. Sanzo tightened his grip and pulled himself up to the top orb on the tree. He was met with nothing but the yellow core Gojyo had revealed and he had expected it. But he wanted to make sure there was nothing he missed. He heard Gojyo sigh on one of the thick branches.  
  
"He's not here."  
  
"He's here."  
  
"But, we can't find him." Sanzo sighed too. The half-youkai was right. Their search was so far, very hopeless and very bloody. Maybe Hakkai was calling him from somewhere else? But he was so sure it was here. He looked back at the top core, and suddenly discovered something quite interesting in the bark above it.  
  
"Oi! Something's here!" The monk observed the wood as the redhead made his way back up the trunk.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Here, in the tree. It looks like some sort of carving." Driven into the tree was a faint trace of an animal. The blonde could make out a long, serpenty tail at the top, and maybe even parts of the body. But it was hard to see. The bark's color was too dark to completely tell. Gojyo peered at it.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"If I knew, I would've told you already," The blonde scoffed as the redhead rolled his eyes.  
  
"Well, that an improvment on this crazy search anyhow." Gojyo lazily ran his fingers over the picture, until they suddenly dipped in at the bottom.  
  
"The hell?" Was all that was uttered as the picture's outline suddenly glowed.  
  
"It's Hakuryuu," Sanzo muttered. The half-youkai looked at him, before pulling his hand out to reveal the tiny dragon. That is, the tiny dragon desperately biting onto Gojyo's index finger. Sanzo sighed as the taller man cried out in pain. The white animal let go and flew back, wings shaking uneasily a little(in fact, he fell a little too).  
  
"Kyuu!" The albino dragon chirped happily.  
  
Gojyo was still wincing when he turned to the tiny animal, "You didn't have to bite, Hakuryuu! There are other ways of greeting someone!"  
  
"Kyuu~," The dragon's head dropped a little. Sanzo smirked, until he too turned to Hakuryuu.  
  
"Oi, do you know where Hakkai is?"  
  
"Kyuu!" The dragon swooped beneath the orb they were on and hovered next to the space between that and next sphere. Gojyo looked at Hakuryuu questionally, until Sanzo dropped down to hang on a branch, closer to where the animal was.   
  
"You know where Hakkai is, bouzu?" The blonde nodded.  
  
"Of course. The hidden Sefirot, Da'ath. That must be it." Hakuryuu 'kyuu'ed in argreement as a pale hand reached out to touch that hidden path. The bark glowed beneath his touch, until he pulled away. The bark twisted and opened up to a hollow compartment. The interior was glowing with greens and yellow. In the middle of the back wall was him, pulled against it tight by the tree's thick vines. The two men outside were about to go in, when Hakuryuu suddenly dove in before them.  
  
The tiny dragon twisted and tore at the vines, desperate to set its master free. Gojyo then dropped down inside the room and held out his shaku-jou. "Let me make it easier for you, Hakuryuu."  
  
The crescent-blade ripped through the vines with ease. Hakkai fell forward from his place on the wall, falling limp into Gojyo's arms. Red eyes searched for that fatal wound that buried itself into his best friend's heart. But it wasn't there. In its place was a large rub gem, seeming to burn through enough to stick to the brunet's skin through his clothes. That was when Sanzo let himself inside.  
  
"It's a seal. He won't wake up unless its broken." A hand clutched his Smith&Wesson tightly.  
  
Hakuryuu seemed to protest this method as he flew like a bat out of hell in the blonde's face. Sanzo swiped the dragon away.  
  
"I won't miss." Both Hakuryuu and Gojyo winced as the the sound of a bullet echoed off the walls. The next thing they heard was something shattering. Two pairs of crimson eyes looked down to see the seal broken and falling off the brunet's chest. Hakkai shifted slightly in Gojyo's hold, and forced his emerald eyes open.  
  
"Oh my..."  
  
"Hakkai! You're awake!" The redhead quickly sat up the other man and checked for wounds, while Hakuryuu cheerfully flew overhead. "You okay?"  
  
It took a few moments for everything to settle and recall back into the brunet's head, and a few moments of becoming more aware before he faintly smiled once more. "Yes, Gojyo. I'm fine."  
  
"Your wounds were gone too, when I found you." Sanzo noted. The redhead mentally smacked himself for not noticing sooner. Hakkai's smile only grew, and then he turned to the monk questionally.  
  
"Sanzo?"  
  
A violet gaze looked down on green, "The mission isn't over."  
  
Like the perfect ending, it won't be too long  
till everything I've ruined as seen me gone.  
- "No Reply", Cowboy Bebop  
  
TBC  
  
This chapter just shows my lack of knowledge on cigarette lighters, guns, and the Tree of Life ^^;;. I'm sorry this chapter came out four months late*sweatdrop*. I've had a major block on Saiyuki writing. But as you can see(or can't see), I'm still quite the GojyoxHakkai fan ~_~. Though, Messiah is -not- supposed to have shounen ai.   
  
But, you can think that it does, if you want to.  
  
I never would have known about the ten Sefirot, if I never was interested in Sephiroth(villian from Final Fantasy VII). Actually, there should be eleven, but as it was said Da'ath is the hidden one ^^. And there are probably typos, because I just went on a total writing streak..which probably means I ranted instead. Okay! Now it's off, to the West! 


End file.
